Ted Levine Regrets Silence of the Lambs’ Trans Depictions
Ted Levine, who played Buffalo Bill in Silence of the Lambs, says he now regrets certain aspects of the character and the film’s portrayal of transgender people, describing some lines as unfortunate and acknowledging the depiction demonized the trans community. He notes his understanding has grown after working with trans people later in his career, and says he did not intend to portray the character as gay or trans. The piece also recalls director Jonathan Demme’s past defense of the film and mentions LGBTQ+ critics, including Lily Wachowski, who have condemned its portrayal as transmisogynistic.
